Three Road Trips: Three Vignettes in the DR

Okay. So this first little snapshot isn’t quite the epic road trip we had in mind but it did involve us piling into the little white Kia rental we shared with our friends early on a Saturday afternoon and driving across the touristic sprawl of Punta Cana. We’d heard there was a parade near the airport named the Carnival Punta Cana. The timing of the event struck us as a bit curious since it was well past Mardi Gras and into the Lenten period when simple living and abstinence are usually observed. But as guests of the Dominican Republic, who were we to challenge their collective wisdom or rationale? After driving to the event and casting covetous eyes about for a parking spot (no, not on the sidewalk like a few of the bozos we saw!) we drove on and on and, finally, found one on the shoulder of the road not too, too far from the event.

Our feelings exactly!

Arriving at the parade route we quickly came to the conclusion that this event was another commercial extravaganza gratis of the dreaded All Inclusive Resorts. All the shaded seating areas seemed to be the exclusive domains of the aforementioned rascals and, yep, colored wrist bands were indeed the price of admission for the day. By then we’d walked quite a ways, so back we plodded past the merry tents serving frothy libations behind barricades that prohibited us from simply crossing the street, to the parade entrance. We crossed over to the free side of the street which of course was in full sun, found an open spot along the barricades with the potential for some afternoon shade and hunkered down to protect our viewing rights and enjoy the parade.

The festivities themselves were a strange amalgam of young women, many children and several depictions of disproportionally buxom females. Interspersed were stylized demons in colorful, elaborate costumes designed to strike fear into the hearts of the young or whimsy into the heads of the inebriated; both of which were in abundance that afternoon. We admired the extravagant costumes parading by and noticed that many of the participants in the parade were representatives of the Caribbean Island Nations. All was well until the Haitian contingent paced by us with an intriguing voodoo float and suddenly there were boos, rude catcalls and objects flying. Peace was quickly restored and later we learned that, for many reasons good and bad, there is no love lost between the side-by-side neighbors, Haitian and Dominican, who share the island of Hispaniola.

A few days later we took a rather nerve rattling drive through the provincial capital of Higüey several miles into the interior to visit the Basílica Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, which could more simply be said as the “Church of Altagracia.” Driving in Dominican city traffic is not for the faint of heart, which amply supplies the reason that neither of us was piloting our rental car. That onerous duty we left to our friend Bryce, an aspiring, derring-do, wanna-be Dominican driver. Our quest for the day was buried in the heart of the city and our relieved group exited the vehicle in the near empty parking lot. One of the most famous cathedrals in the country, this modern Basilica was begun in 1954 and competed in 1970.

Designed by two French architects, it is a mixture of the sublime and the mundane: towering arches, massive stained glass windows and a jewel-encrusted framed painting of the Madonna of Altagracia as well as the designation as a Basilica in 1970 by Pope Paul VI anchor its upside. But the church structure itself is not regal, it is more compact and angular than the traditional churches and the unadorned, gray cement walls are the dominant theme within the sanctuary.

However, the quiet of the interior, with light streaming through the multitude of stained glass windows and the glow radiating back from the highly polished mahogany pews, pulpit and the Madonna’s repository with suspended, foot-long, carved leaves encircling it, suffused the air with a tranquility, broken only by our superfluous guide’s uninspired soliloquy.

Ready for more adventure, but heartily relieved that we were still passengers in our rental, we set off again several days later and found ourselves on the eastern side of the Parque Nacional del Este, alongside the Caribbean Sea near Boca de Yuma, a stretch of rugged coast and coral reef that has been lifted by geologic forces from the ocean floor to become an island land form. The iron shore is stunningly beautiful with its ragged imperfections, numerous waterspouts and the quaint village of Boca del Yuma.

Friends had recommended a restaurant, El Arpunero (The Harpoon) which sits regally atop the cliffs, open-aired so that the sea breezes flow in; a palm-leafed, thatched roof shades the whole dining area. Immediately adjacent to the restaurant is a swimming hole, totally contained within a punch bowl of the old sea bed. It has a sandy beach but also outcroppings of coral rock; the water level fluctuates with the tidal action fed through a hole in the rocks which form the outer rim of the bowl.

Following one of the best meals we’ve had since we’ve been in the DR (langustinos or jumbo prawns and tempura battered shell-fish) and after a little dreamy fantasizing about owning a home in the area, we took a quick hike around the nearby cave, Cueva de Berna, a large cavern with openings blocked off behind warning signs and, unfortunately, graffiti marring many areas. We returned back to the restaurant, cooled off in its filtered saltwater pool, did a bit of basking in the sun while enjoyed a cold libation as well as a few quick hands of Gin Rummy.

Road trips, short and long are entertaining past-times to get briefly acquainted with several of the various locales in any given area. Nothing is in-depth, but all of it is a slice of the life of the country. When added up, these dribs and drabs can fill in puzzle pieces forming a more complete portrait of a complex nation. Speaking of which, there’s another road trip that we could fill you in on …

We like places off the beaten path and the day exploring the rugged coast and caves followed by a feast and swim was just about perfect! Much more fun than staying in a well-defined resort area with little to discover…

We totally agree that road trips are the best way to learn about a country and its people. Although the Dominican Republic is famous for its posh resorts and beautiful beaches we found many other things to see and do in this very beautiful country.

In the small cities in the DR the churches, cathedrals and, in this case, the basilica are usually the finest buildings around displaying art and architecture. The longer we stayed in the Church of Altagracia the more we appreciated the building and the feeling of tranquility that was achieved through the use of light and space.

I’m all for road trips and enjoyed riding along with you on these. At first glimpse of the basilica, I decided I didn’t like it, but once seeing your pic and reading your description inside, I changed my mind. Beautiful scenery along the coast — I’ll take that road trip first.

We saw another very modern cathedral in Managua, Nicaragua, which reminded us of the Basilica in Higüey. Both used unadorned gray cement but had a wonderful use of space and light. Each created a sense of tranquility so, while startling different from the more traditional places of worship, seemed to accomplish their purpose.

We split the cost of a rental car with friends during our stay in the DR and loved the sense of independence it gave us, especially since taxis were very expensive and the bus service seemed complicated and much less convenient. Our friend volunteered to shoulder the responsibility of driving which we enjoyed as we were able to settle back and enjoy the trip without the headache and hassles!

It is fun to pick a direction and new destinations to see and take off with few expectations, just letting the day unfold. It’s interesting to see the countryside as well as the coasts and drive through the little towns learning about how people work, live, eat and entertain themselves in other countries.

Like you, we knew very little about the DR except from its glitzy image as a vacation and resort haven of sparkling beaches and beautiful waves. Outside of the few large cities it seems to be mostly rural areas interspersed with small towns. It’s a country with sharp contrasts between wealth and poverty.

I enjoyed reading about your day trips in the DR. The DR is a popular winter getaway with Canadians, but most never leave the all-inclusive resorts. The modern Basilica is an interesting building. I don;t think it’s cement exterior is particularly attractive, but the combination of cement and stained glass on the interior is appealing.

I think all-inclusive resorts are more for vacationers – those people who want to relax in comfort and avoid too many hassles. We’ve never stayed in an all-inclusive (partly because of the expense!) but also because it goes against our concept of traveling – getting out and exploring new areas, trying good and (very) bad food and mixing some with the people who live there.

Thanks, Suzi. We like eating well but we’re not gourmands by any stretch of the imagination and usually don’t rave about our meals. Most of our meals out in the DR were disappointing AND highly priced so this restaurant really stood out.

Those rascals! How dare they put on a commercial extravaganza! I absolutely love your descriptions with words such as mundane and sublime. Thanks for taking us on your road trip. Looking forward to many more.

Thanks! As ardent Dr. Seuss fans we love both nonsense words and the rich variety of the English language especially when we’re trying to describe our experiences in a country where day-to day life is so unique to us. So much of travel is glimpses into ordinary life as seen through eyes that are accustomed to a US viewpoint and way of life.